What Victoria's Querying
WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES is a finished middle grade fiction manuscript at 50k words.
When We Were Enemies
This middle grade fiction manuscript is set in New Jersey during WWII and tells the story of a 13-year-old Italian-American girl determined to free her father, who is wrongfully imprisoned at Ellis Island. It offers readers a spirited main character, like in the Titanic stowaway story Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen, and a theme of female empowerment, like in the Chernobyl disaster novel The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman.
​
Winner of the 2024 SCBWI Karen Cushman Late Bloomer Award
​
What Victoria's Querying
WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES is a finished young adult fiction manuscript at 70k words.
The Map of Me and You
This young adult fiction manuscript shares the story of an eighteen-year-old girl who decides to check “visit the jungle” off her bucket list before heading to college. Set in Ecuador during 1996, it is a wilderness adventure with the self-discovery of Wandering Wild by Lynette Noni and the unexpected romance of Off the Map by Trish Doller.
About
Victoria Winterhalter is a middle grade and young adult author, whose books feature characters who learn their self-worth. She is an Associate Professor of English for the Virginia Community College System, where she teaches composition and Children’s Literature. Born in New Jersey, she currently lives in Virginia with her family.
Winterhalter Writes
I like the focus on Italians in the US during WWII, the unexpected and well-handled present tense, and the emphasis on radios during the war, especially for young people. Fran realizes her words can make a difference. I applaud her.
A family’s love is a lot like food. Maybe that’s why Italians are famous for it. It nourishes your heart until you meet again – whether that’s the next vacation, the next holiday, or the next generation.
Their stories not only play a valuable role in the telling of history, but also offer future generations a chance to emulate their courage when bringing to life our country’s ideal of liberty and justice for all.
Karen Cushman
Newbery Award-winning children's author on When We Were Enemies
Victoria Winterhalter
in Richmond Family Magazine
Victoria Winterhalter
in Richmond Family Magazine
